The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1887-10-20
~ a GERMAN CARE.


Foaad Ia way - Nee Yea.
was walking up Second avenue
from Hudsoh street the other day
when / Eotieed q number Of men
seated &C open windows In one Of Tia
old-time aristOeratic houses near TeHth
street Some were reading. some
we're playing chess and 3 few Eers
dreamily puhng at cigars and Wateh-
ing the rings q blus smoke a. they
fnssed over their headA
Frasn their appearance they were al
Germans which was not az all strange.
this being now a German neiEhi'or-
hood. Over the main entrance 10 the
house was a small. nest sign. bearing
TIRE single word: Cafe" ] entered.
The place wac = peculiar one. 10
was divided into three ronms. and also
had a large Veranda in the rear The
front room. which was also the largest,
contained many small. rouRd. hard
VOID tables. a. which sat the persons
hsd seen from the street and many
others. Nearly all were drinking
strong coffee. On shelves extending
around the walls were all sorts and
kinds of German illustrated papers.
nsusPsPers. funny journals. standard
IermaR books sud some rare and
furious German volumes. Perhaps
thirty men Wers IN the room. although
60 was early in the afternoon. when
most people are At work.
Generally Germans are very vOlubls
when they are together. but here not
sound was to be heard except the rust
ling Of the papers and an occasional
ejaculation from one Of the chess
players The latter were deeply inn
mersed in their games and entirely OBJ
liviOas n aught else but their cigars.
Their broWs were knit into severe
lroWas aud their bodies we're bent for
ward. An air Of extreme restfulness
Pervaded the place and made one feel
sthOnle. despite the foreign character
iStics Of the men. All seemed 10 know
each ether. but. ~ IL by agreement ell
conversation was confined TO q few
words Of recognition.
In the spacious hall . similar scene
vas 90 be found. In one Of the
inner MONS were two billiard tables,
which were covered aud looked neg
leoted. In the third room Was = couR-
ter with two showcases. one containing
cigars and cigarettes, and the other
6lled with samples Of German pastry.
There were large cakes. soft and deli
eiOus in appearance. but not at az
sweet; peculiar apple. peach, cheese
and prune cakes, without any upper
crust, all very good. but different frum
AmeEieaH or French pastry.
On TIE Veranda sat several persons
engaged ia conversation, apparently
appegiaining to business. Il was q
queer scene in the middle Of q busy
day IN busy New York aud outside Of
similar resorts could probably not be
found anywhere else in the city.
In no place. probably, can the every
day life Of the male part Of our large Ger
man population be studied to better ad-
vantage than in the numerous German
cafes which range from the cheap re-
sOrt on East Houston street h thsswell
and luxurious brownstone affair on
Fifty-ssVenth street The eharsclsris-
tics Of ne one differ but little from the
other. The difference lies mainly in
the surroundings and the quality Of the
furniture. decorations and 50 forth.
The one is an exact copy Of its Der.
lin and Viennese prototype Il Il 50
entirely different from any thing
American or French or English that 10
seems ont Of place in our streetA To
= student desirOus Of making himself
acquainted with real German customs
and character no place this side Of the
fatherland will prove 80 useful ~ this
cafe. Il Is also the only place where
can he obtained those examples 81 real
German cooking which are so satisfy
ing and at the same time 20 delicious
The cafe Is = great deal more 10 the
German than merely a restaurant Il
Is his club where he find things - he
remembers them In the old country;
where he can throw aside his acquired |
American customs and can forget |
every thing except that he is = German.
Not that he always does this, for at
night when the quiet scene have de-
scribed Is changed to one Of mirih and |
enjoyment Of a more noisy kind. scraps |
&C loud conversation can be heard. in
which English words are frequently |
iumbled in with a strong hoW Of Ger
man in an extremely ludicrous man-
ner.
When two German business men
have some particularly important
transaction 70 discuss they will, IL any
where near a cafe. sdiOhrn there to
talk Il over. Under the Influence Of |
coffee and cigars they soon come h an
smicSble arrangement FROM early
morning. when the bachelors come
there for their breakfasts. until late &C
night, when. dinner having been dis
posed Of. chess, billiards and merry
talk are in order. the cafe is cOntinu-
ally filed. To some Il is more familiar
thaa their homes-M Y. Cor. Rhiladel-
pAis PrcSa